Tablet crusher



J. P. ZWEBER ETAL May 11, 1943.

. a 1% %42 N w 9 m 1 M2 4 e 7 1 Z z 1%, .LL 9 2 mnflw o A w J g Patented May 11, 1943 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE TABLET CRUSHER John P. Zweber, Hastings, and Cyril J. Zweber, Farmington, Minn.

Application April 7, 1941, Serial No. 387,164 13 Claims. (01. 83-10) Our invention relates to tablet crushers and has for an object to provide an extremely simple and practical construction by means of which tablets used for medicinal purposes may be easily and quickly crushed to promote rapid solution of the same.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a highly sanitary device by means of which the tablet may be crushed without touchmortar from the receptacle and while attached tothe receptacle.

. A still'further object of the invention resides j in providing a platen movable into position across said opening to support'a tablet during crushmg.

A feature of the invention resides in utilizing said platen as a closure for the receptacle.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a pestle for the mortarand in providing means carried by the mortar for guiding the pestle for rotary movement and for movement toward and from the tablet.

Another object of the invention resides in constructing the mortar with a lateral discharge opening atthe' locality of the platen and in providing a closure for the discharge opening carried by the mortar.

, YA feature of the invention resides in providing resilient means for urging the pestle away from the tablet. I

Another object of the invention resides in providing means for temporarily holding a tabslet within the mortar While the platen is being moved to operative position.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawing illustrating our invention,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a receptacle for tablets illustrating an embodiment of our invention applied thereto.

Fi 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. I viewed from another side of the device.

v through the same and out of the receptacle or i end, as indicated at l2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in altered position. v

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an elevational on line 5-6 of Fig. 2. v r

Fig. 7 is an elevational sectional view taken on line 'l-! of Fig. 5 and showing the receptacle andtablet crusher in'inverted position.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

In the dispensing of soluble tablets for medicinal purposes it usually requires an appreciable sectional view taken amount of time for the tablet to dissolve. Where the tablet has to be crushed in an ordinary mortar, sanitation is lacking and at the same time considerable inconvenience results. The present invention provides a device which may be directly attached to the neck of the receptacle containing the tablets and forms a closure there for, and which may be conveniently used whenever desired without removal .from the receptapie and without manually handling or touching the tablets.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention we have shown a receptacle A in the nature of a long cylindrical bottle which has a body portion ID, a bottom I l and is open at its upper The open end of this bottle is provided with a neck I3 issuing item the body l0 and which has external threads hi on which a suitable cap or closure may be screwed. Within the interior of the body Ill of the receptacle A is disposed a number of tablets l5 which are arranged one upon the other, and which rest upon a cushion pad it which .may consist of a wad of cotton. The body it! is'tubular in form and of proper dimensions to receive the tablets and the open end l2 thereof is of suitable dimensions to pass the tablets bottle.

The invention proper comprises a. mortar l1 which has an opening I8 at the lower end thereof. Adjacent this opening the mortar is constructed with a tubular portion l9 which is formed with internal threads 2! adapted to screw upon the threads I l of neck 13. The opening l8 registers with the opening l2 and is of sufiicient dimensions to pass the tablets l5 through the same and into the interior compartment 22 of the mortar where the crushing of the tablet occurs.

The mortar I! is also constructed with a lateral opening 23 at the locality of the upper edge 24 of the neck I3 of bottle A. Insertable through this opening is a platen 25 which is adapted to extend across the opening I8 and forms a bottom for the mortar. This platen also forms a closure for the bottle A and is provided with a gasket 25 adapted to rest upon the upper edge 24 of the neck I3. The mortar I1 is provided with a shoulder 21 which engages the platen 25 and upon screwing of the mortar upon the threads I4 and neck I3 the said shoulder forces the gasket 26 into engagement with the edge 24 of the into the mortar I1, has a rim portion 28 which fills up the lateral opening 23 and lies flush with the exterior of the tubular portion I9 of the mortar. The mortar is constructed at its upper end with a tubular portion 29 of smaller dimensions than the tubular portion I9 which forms a ledge 3| upon the exterior of the mortar and the shoulder 21 upon the interior of the mortar. Immediately above the lateral opening 23 the portion I9 is of the same diameter as the portion 29 so that the upper surface 32 of the rim 28 projects outwardly beyond the tubular portion 29, as shown in Fig. 3. For pivoting the platen a pintle 34 is employed which is in the form of a hair pin having two legs 35 and 35. The leg' 35 extends through the platen 25 and into the tubular portion IQ of the mortar. The leg 36 extends through the ledge 3| and into the portion I9 at the uppermost part thereof. By

means of this construction the pintle is an-- chored and the platen mounted for swinging movement into and out of the compartment 22 of the mortar I1through the lateral opening 23.

Encircling the tubular portion 29 of mortarv I1 is a closure sleeve 31 which is formed with a neck 38 extending upwardly therefrom and offset relative to the sleeve 31 to form an inwardly projecting shoulder 39. Neck 38 has a cavity 4| in the upper portion thereof and a boss 42 extends across thesaid neck and forms a bottom to the said cavity- The sleeve 31 is slidably mounted on the tubular portion 29 and is formed with a lip 43 projecting-downwardly therefrom,

which lip is adapted to cover the discharge opening 44. The said lip is formed with a recess 59 which, when the sleeve 31 is in closing position, conceals the pintle 34.

The closure sleeve 31 supports a pestle which is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 45. This pestle consists of a head 46 which is attached to a stem 41, constiucted of metal or some similar material. A knob 48 is secured to the end of the said stem and serves as a means for manipulating the pestle. The knob 48 is preferably constructed with a hollow 49 for a purpose to be presently described. The stem 41 is slidably and rotatably mounted in the boss 42 of closure sleeve 31 and permits of the head 46 being brought toward the platen 25 and rotated relative thereto. The head 46 of the pestle 45 is retained within compartment 22 of mortar I1 by means of an inwardly extending flange 49 formed on the upper edge of the tubular portion 29 of said mortar. A compression coil spring 5I disposed within the cavity 4| of closure 31 and the hollow 49 of knob 48 engages the boss 42 and said knob and urges the pestle to its extreme upper position, as shown in Fig. 6. The knob 48 is constructed with a skirt 52 which reaches over and encircles the neck 38 of closure 31 to ,completely enclose and protect the spring 5|. The head 46 of pestle 45 and the platen 25 are constructed with facing teeth 53 and 54 which co-act to grind up the tablet contained within the compartment 22 when the knob 48 is urged toward the platen 25 and rotated. The various parts of the pestle are attached to one another as by press fits after assembled with reference to the mortar and the closure sleeve, or the same may be secured together in any other suitable manner.

In order to retain a single tablet in the compartment 22 a holding device is employed which is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 55 and which is best shown in Fig. '7. This holding device comprises a plunger 55 which extends through the wall of the tubular portion I9 of mortar I1 and which is constructed with a head 51 at one end adapted to be projected into the compartment 22 and to engage the periphery of a tablet disposed within said compartment. The said plunger has an operating button 58 accessible from the exterior and is moved to its extreme inoperative position by means of a compression coil spring 59 seated at one end against a part of the wall of the tubular portion l9 of mortar I1 and against the said button 58.

The method of using the invention is as follows: The usual cap or closure furnished with a bottle containing the tablets is removed and the threaded tubular portion I9 of our tablet crusher screwed upon the threads I4 of the neck I3 of said bottle. When .the device is intended'to form a closure for the bottle the platen 25 is projected inwardly into the compartment. 22 and the mortar I1 screwed down until the gasket 26 of said platen forms a seal with the edge 24 of the neck I3 of the bottle. When it becomes desirable to crush a tablet the mortar I1 is unscrewed suificiently to release the platen 25 from engagement with the neck of the bottle and said platen swung outwardly as shown in Fig. 4. The bottle A and the tablet crusher are then inverted, as shown in Fig. 7, which causes the tablets I5 therein to become supported by the head 46 of the pestle 45. In such position the holding device 55 is in position to engage the lowermost, tablet I5a. By applying pressure to the button 58 the tablet is urged against the opposite wall of the mortar and upon inversion of the bottle and tablet crusher the remaining tablets drop back into the interior of the bottle A. The platen 25 is next projected inwardly into the interior of the compartment 22 and upon relieving pressure on the button 58 the tablet I5a drops upon the platen 25 and the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 6. The mortar I1 is then screwed down to tighten the same on the threads I4 of bottle A and to hold the platen 25 rigidly in position. The closure 31 is next moved into closing position. Pressure is now applied to the knob 48 and the same given a rotational movement. This causes the head 46 of pestle 45 to engage the tablet I5a and crush and grind the same. Upon urging the pestle 45 upwardly also urges the closure 31 downwardly to close the opening 44.

The advantages oflour invention are manifest.

-The grinding or crushing of the tablets maybe accomplished without touching or manually.

handling the same. The device may be used with bottles or receptaclesiin which the tablets are sold. The device not/only serves to crush the tablets but forms a closure for the bottle or re- --ceptac1e containing the tablets. The device is, .compact and does not.,occupy an appreciable amount of space. The jnethod of-operationof our invention is extremely simple and practical.

With our invention saving of time occurs in the handling of and crushing of the tablets. invention can be manufactured to be sold at a reasonable price. The device is extremely attractive and enhances the appearance of the bottle or receptacle. Changes in the specific form ofour invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from th *"spirit of our invention.

3? Having described our invention, what we claim :as is:

a .1. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar having an opening at the lower end, threads at the lower e'ndof theimortar for attaching the same to the threaded. neck of areceptacle for tablets, said opening bringing the mortar into communication -wfith the receptacle and being of suificient ,di-

new and desire to protect by Letters Patent mensions to pass a tablet into the mortar, .a platen movable across said opening and serving to.' su'p'port a tablet in the mortar, said platenforming a closure for the receptacle and resting upon the free edge of the neck thereof, and means carried by said mortar for engaging the platen to urge the same against the end of the neck of the receptacle upon screwing the threads of the mortar upon the threads of the receptacle, and a pestle for forcing the tablet against the platen.

2. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar having an opening at the lower end, threads at the lower end of the mortar for attaching the same to the threaded neck of a receptacle for tablets, said opening bringing the mortar into communication with the receptacle and being of suflficient dimensions to pass a tablet into the mortar, said mortar having a lateral opening disposed at the locality of the upper edge of the neck of the receptacle, a platen", movable into said mortar through said second named opening and extending across the first named opening, said platen serving to support a tablet in the mortar, said platen forming a closure for the receptacle, and means on said mortar for urging the platen into engagement with the upper end of the neck of said receptacle upon screwing of the mortar on the threads of the neck of the receptacle, and a oestle for forcing the tablet against the platen.

v 3. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar having an opening at the lower end. means at the lower end of the mortar for attaching the same to a receptacle for tablets, said opening bringing the mortar into communication with the receptacle and being of sufficient dimensions to pass a tablet into the mortar, said mortar havlng a second opening in the lower end thereof disposed laterallywith-respect to the first named opening,

a platen movable through said second named opening and across said first named opening to support a tablet in the mortar,'said lateral opening being enlarged at a locality above the platen to form a discharge opening for discharging the crushed tablet, a closure carriedby said mortar for closing said discharge opening, and a pestle for forcing the tablet against the platen.

4. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar having an opening at the lower! end, means at the lower end of the mortar for attaching the same to a receptacle for tablets, said opening bringing the mortar into communication with the receptacle and being of sufiicient dimensions to pass a, tablet into the mortar,,said mortar having a second opening in the lower end thereof disposed laterally with respect to the first named opening, a platen movable through said second named opening and across said first named opening to support a tablet in the mortar, said mortar having a discharge opening for discharging the crushed tablet therefrom, a sleeve carried by said mortar and slidable axially along the same, means on said sleeve for closing said discharge opening, and a pestle for forcing the tablet against the platen.

5. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar having an opening atthe lower end, means at the lower end of the mortar for attaching the same to a receptacle for tablets, said opening bringing the mortar into communication with the receptacle and being of sufiicient dimensions to pass a tablet into the mortar, saidmortar having a second opening in the lower end thereof disposed laterally with respect to the first named opening, a platen movable through said second named opening andacross said first named opening to support a tablet in the mortar, said mortar having a discharge opening for discharging the crushed tablet, a sleeve carried by said mortar and "slidable axially along the same, a lip on said sleeve for closing said discharge opening, and a pestle for forcing the tablet against the platen.

6. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar for the reception of a tablet to be crushed, said mortar having a lateral discharge opening, a closure for closing said opening, a pestle for crushing the tablet, and means carried by the closure for guiding the pestle for rotary movement and for movement toward and from the tablet.

'7. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar for the reception of a tablet to be crushed, said mortar having a lateral discharge opening, a closure for closing said opening, a pestle for crushing the tablet, means carried by the closure for guiding the pestle for rotary movement and for movement toward and from the tablet, and resilient means acting between said closure and pestle for moving the pestle away from the tablet.

8. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar for the reception of a tablet to be crushed, said mortar having a lateral discharge opening, a sleeve encircling said mortar and slidable along the same, said sleeve having means for closing said discharge opening, a bushing formed on said sleeve, and a pestle for crushing the tablet, said pestle having a shank rotatably and slidably mounted in said bushing.

9. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar having an opening at the lower end, means at the lower end of the mortar for attaching the same to a receptacle for a plurality of tablets, said opening bringing the mortar into communication with the receptacle and being of suflicient dimensions to pass a number of the tablets through said open- ;ing upon inversion, of thereceptacle and tablet crusher, means for engaging the innermost of the tablets-and holding the same within the mortar upon righting of the receptacle and tablet crusher, a platen movable from a position clear of said opening to a position obstructing said opening and outwardly of said held tablet, and a pestle for forcing the tablet against the platen.

10. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar having an opening at the lower end, means at the lower end of the mortar for attaching the same to a receptacle for a plurality of tablets, said opening bringing the mortar into communication with the receptacle and being of sufiicientdimensions to pass a number of the tablets through said opening upon inversion of the receptacle and tablet crusher, a holding member movable laterally of the opening for engaging the innermost of the tablets and holding the same within the mortar upon righting of the receptacle and tablet crusher, a platen movable from a position clear of said opening to a position obstructing said opening and outwardly of said held tablet, and a pestle for forcing the tablet against the platen. I 11. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar hav ing an opening at the lower end, means at the lower end of the mortar for attaching the same to a receptacle for tablets, said opening bringing the mortar into communication with the receptacle and being of sufiicient dimensions to pass a tablet into the mortar, the walls of said receptacle lying substantially in continuation of the walls of the mortar to guide the tablets into the mortar,

a platen movable across said opening and serving to support a tablet in the mortar and to close communication between the mortar and receptacle, said mortar having a lateral discharge opening, means for closing said discharge opening, a pestle at the other end-of the mortar for forcing the tablet against the platen and means fixed relative to the mortar for guiding the pestle for movement relative to the mortar.

- 12. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar having an opening at-the-lower end, means at the lower end of the mortar for attaching the same to a receptacle for tablets, said opening bringing the mortar into communication with the receptacle and being of sufiicient dimensions to pass a tablet into the mortar, the walls of said receptacle lying "substantially in continuation of the walls of the mortar to guide the tablets into the mortar, said mortar having a. second opening in the lower end thereof disposed laterally with respect to the first named opening, a platen movable into said second named opening and across said first named openiing to support a tablet in the mortar, said second named opening extending above the platen to form .a discharge opening and a pestle for forcing the tablet against the platen.

13. A tablet crusher comprising a mortar hav ing an opening at the lower end, means at the lower end of the mortar for attaching the same to a receptacle for tablets, said opening bringing the mortar into communication with the receptacle and being of sufficient dimensions to pass a tablet into the mortar, the walls of said receptacle lying substantially in continuation of the walls of the mortar to guide the tablets into the mortar, a platen movable across said opening and serving to support a tablet in the mortar and to close communication between the mortar and receptacle, a pestle at the other end of the mortar for forcing the tablet against'the platen and means fixed relative to the mortar for guiding the pestle for movement relative to the mortar.

JOHN P. ZWEBER. CYRIL J. ZWEBER. 

